Discussion:
Second Hand Is Not Aligned With Face
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Mike
2003-11-23 20:31:02 UTC
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I have a new Seiko kinetic I got off ebay recently. I noticed on
inspection the second hand is off from the face. This isn't the first
time I've seen this problem though. I've noticed this on a number of
other watches as well. Is this a common problem? Is it a sign of poor
quality control? Can I get it adjusted?
Russell W. Barnes
2003-11-23 22:35:05 UTC
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Post by Mike
I have a new Seiko kinetic I got off ebay recently. I noticed on
inspection the second hand is off from the face. This isn't the first
time I've seen this problem though. I've noticed this on a number of
other watches as well. Is this a common problem? Is it a sign of poor
quality control? Can I get it adjusted?
Do you mean that the seconds hand does not align with the minute markers
around the dial? If so, it may comfort you to learn that I have a Zenith
quartz watch (ETA movement) which does exactly that; It falls between
markers. I wrote to Zenith about it, but they weren't really interested.

Ironically, the seconds-hand on the £12.00 watch my Daughter bought me for a
birthday present ('Ingersoll', with a Miyota (Citizen) movement) aligns
perfectly, as does my £29.00 'Swatch'.

Bummer, isn't it? Write to Seiko. Their customer feedback may mean more to
them than Zenith's do.
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Russell W. B.
http://www.huttonrow.co.uk

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Jack Denver
2003-11-24 00:00:09 UTC
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Yes it is very common. The quartz watch manufacturers don't consider it to
be an issue - the watch keeps correct time after all. Any "normal" person
is not concerned with a fraction of a second. This is one reason for
inspecting the watch before you buy it. If the mis-alignment bothers you
then a watchmaker could reset the second hand. I doubt this would be
considered warranty service.
Post by Mike
I have a new Seiko kinetic I got off ebay recently. I noticed on
inspection the second hand is off from the face. This isn't the first
time I've seen this problem though. I've noticed this on a number of
other watches as well. Is this a common problem? Is it a sign of poor
quality control? Can I get it adjusted?
Carl West
2003-11-24 07:16:34 UTC
Permalink
When I install the second hand I try very hard to get it to line up with the minute markers. There's a certain elegance to having it move from mark to mark.

Then I run it and find that while I have it 'on' at 12, it's off at 6. Go figure. It's not something I've dug into, I usually don't have the time, and I'm fairly sure it's not something I'm going to be able to fix. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Post by Jack Denver
Yes it is very common. The quartz watch manufacturers don't consider it to
be an issue - the watch keeps correct time after all. Any "normal" person
is not concerned with a fraction of a second. This is one reason for
inspecting the watch before you buy it. If the mis-alignment bothers you
then a watchmaker could reset the second hand. I doubt this would be
considered warranty service.
Post by Mike
I have a new Seiko kinetic I got off ebay recently. I noticed on
inspection the second hand is off from the face...
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Kent Betts
2003-11-24 09:23:38 UTC
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"Carl West"
Post by Carl West
Then I run it and find that while I have it 'on' at 12, it's off at 6. Go
figure.

uh yeah
Post by Carl West
It's not something I've dug into, I usually don't have the time, and I'm
fairly sure it's not something I'm going to > be able to fix. Correct me if I'm
wrong.

I agree with Mike. It bugs me when the second hand is not line up.

I think a good fix for this would be if the dial could allow for some slip so
that it could be aligned and then locked in place. This might or might not work
with a date display. The amount of dial rotation would be small.....as in 1/2
second. Would be easier than resetting the hands and it would allow you to
average out the error.
Jack Denver
2003-11-24 17:07:09 UTC
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I see this a lot in quartz clocks, which are always in the vertical
position. There is a lot of lash in the gearing of the second hand. When the
hand is on the "falling down" side (12 to 6) the lash is at one end of its
travel. When the second hand is on the "climbing" side (6 to 12) it is at
the opposite end. So what is lined up on one side of the dial is not lined
up on the other. This is similar to the jitter one sees in mechanical
watches with indirect second hands. It is not exactly a "defect", at least
not one that can be repaired later, just an inevitable byproduct of the
design.
Post by Carl West
Then I run it and find that while I have it 'on' at 12, it's off at 6. Go
figure.
Carl West
2003-11-25 06:36:13 UTC
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Post by Jack Denver
I see this a lot in quartz clocks, which are always in the vertical
position. There is a lot of lash in the gearing of the second hand...
Post by Carl West
Then I run it and find that while I have it 'on' at 12, it's off at 6. Go
figure.
Makes sense. I'll have to watch the next one more closely.




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